Saturday, February 21, 2009

The way it was….

House_in_Spring I was going thru old photographs today, taking the proverbial trip down memory lane, and I came across pictures of our last home that I had uploaded to Tripod several years ago.

It was a wonderful house, built in 1929, in a historic part of Heavensville.  People called it the Gingerbread House, because of it’s whimsical look.  Hubby and I bought it from the elderly lady who owned it without even going inside. 

It wasn’t for sale, but her husband had passed away and I wrote her a letter and asked her if she would be interested in selling it to us.

She was a bit eccentric, she called and told us we could come over and see the outside, but we couldn’t go inside.  She priced it to us in the yard, and we bought it right then.  I had always loved the house, actually we lived just around the corner from it,  and this was our one chance to live there, as there had only been two previous owners.  So we gave her a down payment on the spot,  with hubby assuring me not to worry, that regardless of what it looked like inside, he would restore it.  LC  can do anything, he totally gutted every room in the house and restored it to it’s original look.  It was a mess inside, but luckily, it had never been “remodeled, “ all of the original rooms were intact.  There was never a front walk, and the only landscaping was the azaleas, so we built a flagstone sidewalk and did major renovations to the grounds as well.

We sold it a few years ago when we moved to the country.  Was I sad to see it go, naturally, but I was ready for a change.  It was not an easy house for me, too many stairs to climb,  and old houses are drafty.   And the chance for  a country girl to go back to the country to live doesn’t happen often,  I  much prefer where we live now.

The garage was an exactly replica of the house with unfinished maid quarters above, and if you look at the pictures, you will see a fish pond and a waterfall coming out of the front of the garage.  This was all original from when the house was was built, we didn’t change anything.  The pattern on the brick was called skintled brick, the brick layer laid the bricks in an uneven, irregular pattern, and also included greek symbols in various places in the pattern he designed.  If you look closely at one of the pictures of the front of the house, you will see an upside down  horseshoe pattern built into the brick.

It had the original leaded glass windows, thirty-three of them if I remember correctly, and therefore no storm windows, because it would have taken away from the look of the house, which I’m sure contributed to the uneven temperatures in the summer and winter months.  We lived there for eight years, and I enjoyed every minute of it, but things change, and it’s not the same anymore. 

The big oak tree you see in the right corner died, and the new owner cut down the tree you see framing the front of the house.  The house still had it’s original roof, which would have lasted many more years, but the current owner  decided to reroof it this year, and he painted the exterior a boring beige.  It just doesn’t have the charm that it did when we lived there, of course I realize that it was the way I liked it, obviously he doesn’t have the same taste.

The azaleas you see blooming in this picture are still intact, though, we no doubt will drive by when they are in bloom, as they are just stunning.

It really was a magical old house.  As I looked at the pictures this afternoon, I laughed at how overdecorated and girly it was.  Would I do the same thing today, probably, well maybe not so much silk greenery, but I’ve always told you I’m a clutterer and a nester, and boy was this cluttered!

I don’t have pictures of the upstairs or the basement uploaded.  Some day I need to go through more pictures and upload everything to  a current server and include those as well.  Hubby finished the basement, putting in a commercial kitchen and building a family room, too, the basement really had a lot of character. 

If you like old houses, I think you’ll enjoy looking at the pictures I took of the interior.  It really was a special house.  Here’s the click for the pix .

~ jan

Are you looking for an escape this weekend?

Savannah BreezeI’m reading a great book, oh it’s such a fun read, ladies.  I downloaded the ebook from my library, you might be able to do the same from yours.  If not, either borrow or buy it, it’s really entertaining. 

~ jan

Here’s the synopsis -

Southern belle BeBe (Bay-Bay) Loudermilk has lost all her worldly possessions, thanks to a brief but disastrous relationship with the gorgeous Reddy, an "investment counselor" who turns out to be a con man. All that's left is a ramshackle 1950s motel on Tybee Island—an eccentric beach town that calls itself a drinking village with a fishing problem.

Breeze Inn is a place where the very classy BeBe wouldn't normally be caught dead, but with no alternative, she moves into the manager's unit, vowing to make magic out of mud. The work is grueling, especially dealing with the bad-tempered caretaker, a fishing captain named Harry who's trying to earn enough dough to get his boat out of hock. With the help of Harry and her junking friend Weezie, BeBe soon has the motel spiffed up and attracting paying guests.

Look what Carlene sent me this morning….

Who would have ever thought of doing this???  This ranks right up there with peeling the egg by blowing it through the hole video.  Oh, I need a life really bad…. 

It’s Lemon Paczki time at Donut Bank…

do

They only have Paczki’s for a few days before Mardi Gras each year.  And of course, since I’m a total lemon freak, regardless of what stupid diet I’m on,  it all falls by the wayside when these lemon, sugary donuts are available.

I thought they were having them last week, and Hooterville came to visit for a few days, just for a Paczki fix.  But when we went to through the drive thru, they didn’t have them. 

I got the wrong week! Oh my, she was not a happy camper at all…

Friday, February 20, 2009

Tangee Captivating Coral Lipstick, it’s still around….

tangee

Talk about a blast from the past!  Look what I found tonight, Tangee Captivating Coral, you can still buy it…. Unreal, huh.  I thought this was long gone.

I still remember the color and the smell.  The only thing that’s changed is the price.  It’s now $14.95 a tube.  I wonder how much we used to pay – couldn’t have been over $2.99, but that was in the fifties.  Trips down memory lane don’t come cheap these days….

I found it for sale at The Vermont Country Store.  Here’s what their advertisement has to say about it.

Original Tangee Lipstick Changes Color to Complement Your Skin

Bring out your natural beauty with Tangee® Naturals Lipstick, the lipstick that goes on clear and gradually transforms into the perfect shade for you. A secret of beautiful women for over 70 years, Tangee moisturizes lips and looks freshly applied for hours. Ideal for women who want to look beautiful without looking artificial. Buy one for your purse, vanity, and office drawer-you'll never want to be without Tangee. 0.13 oz. tube.

  • Orange-in-the-tube color changes to complement your skin tone
  • Color without artificial made-up look
  • Contains natural moisturizers that prevent lips from drying and chapping
  • Now with SPF 15 to protect your lips

Whatever your skin tone is, Tangee becomes the perfect complementing color that's uniquely and beautifully your own.

Oh, what a hoot.  It would be worth $14.95 just to smear my lips with this again…..

I know, I know, some of you have your credit cards out already – Here’s the link, girlfriends.  Enjoy!!!

Kingston, the little pig that could….

Jean sent me this video, it’s guaranteed to bring a smile to your face on this cold winter’s evening.  This little guy is so tiny, and so adorable, it makes you just want to go out and buy a piglet!!!!  Seriously…

True Story…

George Phillips, an elderly man, from Meridian, Mississippi, was going up to bed, when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. George opened the back door to go turn off the light, but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.

He phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?"

He said "No," but some people are breaking into my garden shed and stealing from me.

Then the police dispatcher said "All patrols are busy. You should lock your doors and an officer will be along when one is available."

George said, "Okay."

He hung up the phone and counted to 30.

Then he phoned the police again.

"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people stealing things from my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I just shot them." and he hung up.

Within five minutes, six Police Cars, a SWAT Team, a Helicopter, two Fire Trucks, a Paramedic, and an Ambulance showed up at the Phillips' residence, and caught the burglars red-handed.

One of the Policemen said to George, "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"

George said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!"

Moral of the story: Don't mess with old people

The quest for those lemon recipes continues…

lemoncake

Veronica has sent me a couple of recipes, one for Paula Deen’s Lemon Blossoms, and a recipe for rice pudding with lemon sauce.  I’ve also been cruising the food blogs, and I’ve seen several mentions of Ina Garten’s Lemon Cake. 

Even Oprah has joined the fray, posting the Barefoot Contessa’s recipe.  One blogger makes hers with Meyer lemons, which I have a snowball’s chance in hell of finding in Heavensville.  But you you want to take a peek at this, here’s the link

Has anybody made this?  I don’t want to waste a badzillion calories on a ho-hum recipe that some of you haven’t tested and approved.  Because we all know, that moi, here, will eat whatever dessert is in front of me, regardless of the taste.  I’m even a fan of Little Debbies.  *blush*  Hey, those peanut butter wafer thingies are good, except they are probably off the shelves now due to the peanut recall.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Do you remember Revere Ware?

http://i3.iofferphoto.com/img/item/792/967/76/jjikxvmZSgVWZob.jpg

When I was growing up Mother had a set of Revere Ware, just like this.  It was always my job to clean the copper bottoms.

The set is long gone, she gave it up for my Le Creuset cookware  that I recycled to her in the 80’s when I discovered Magnalite.  Except  I did keep the 9” orange Le Creuset skillet, and I’m so glad I did because I use it often, especially when I make cornbread.  But back to the saga of the recycled cookware…

I got tired of the Magnalite, and started buying Calphalon, but I kept the Magnalite, until Ryan confiscated it, because he, too, is a nostagia buff, and now the Calphalon is gone, and I have stainless steel, a whole assortment of different brands of stock pots, dutch oven and saucepans, instead of a “set",” which I kind of think is kind of interesting…

And then my pieces of Le Creuset went by the wayside in Mother’s later years, she got rid of it when I upgraded her to cobalt blue Chantal.

I now have her cobalt Chantal, but it just doesn’t have the memories associated with it that the Le Creuset and the Revere Ware does.  Drats, why did Mother get rid of that cookware anyway!  She never threw out anything, well, except for my Terry Lee doll, which I have never quite recovered from.  That doll is worth major money, now!

Maybe I should just buy myself one piece of Revere Ware, and an orange Le Creuset roaster like I used to have.  Maybe that would satisfy my little bout of nostalgia….  Yeah, Jan, let’s see, that Le Creuset roaster is about $250, now, and vintage Revere Ware goes for about $50 a pan on eBay, so I could rack up $300 really fast on a trek down memory lane.

Maybe I should rethink this and get nostalgic over a set of vintage salt and pepper shakers.  I could probably get into them for about $25.00…

Lindsay has bought Ryan several pieces of Le Creuset in the last few years, because he is reliving his childhood, too.  Maybe I could just borrow one of his pieces until the mood passes.

Egads, I’m sitting in the living room, typing this on my laptop, and Mags is on the back of my chair throwing a hissy.  Yep, you guessed it, she wants me to go to bed. 

She does this every night now, at 7:30 or 8:00 p.m.  I don’t want to go to bed, and she is relentless.  I’ve gotta get control of my life, and my dog….  and forget about the stupid cookware!

You all know I’m a sucker for cute kids and dogs…

tiger_woods_shows_off_his_tiny_saplings_in_golf_magazine Tiger Woods latest family portrait.  Is this not the most adorable picture, ever?  His little girl is just precious!  And the pooches, oh my… 

Yeah, the wife and petite bebe are cute, but the little girl and the dogs steal the show…  He’s a lucky, lucky man, Tiger Woods…

Ohhhhhhh, don’t these look wonderful???

These beauties were in today’s Martha Stewart Newsletter.  I arrowed my faves.  Want the recipes?  Sure thing, just click on the picture, recipes are available from Martha online for all of these delectable, lovely, calorie laden treats…..  The woman is a wonder!

cuppycake

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

I just don’t get it….

Every day there is a new photograph of Octomommy, out and about, without any of her children.  Today’s picture is of her at the mall, at the MAC makeup counter. 

I realize the eight babies are still in the hospital, but where are her other six children?  I don’t understand how she has so much free time.

I guess times have changed a lot since I had just two little boys.  I was always home taking care of them.  That’s what Mothers did.  Or we took them with us.

I also don’t understand how this woman, with fourteen children and no money, can afford the MAC counter.  This stuff isn’t cheap….  Am I missing something here?

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

I’m looking for a really great lemon dessert…

Spring is coming, and nothing says spring like lemon desserts.  Lindsay and I are both wild about anything lemon, and our goal this year is to find two “knock your socks off” lemon desserts…  You know, the kind that make you want to lick your plate and groan…

Carlene gave me some great ideas earlier today, lemon flan and lemon egg custard were a couple of her suggestions.

If any of you are lemonaholics like we are, and you have an absolutely great recipe, please, please, send it along to me.

I’ve made Ann Lander’s Lemon Pie for years now.  It’s just awesome,  and I scrapped a recipe for it last year.  If you’re interested, you can access it here.

Oops, I just realized I haven’t put my email addy back up since my webpage remodel, but if you don’t have it, email me at munchiebusiness@gmail.com.

Thanks in advance for anything you can give me.

~ jan

I’m not a Mickey Rourke fan, however…

adogg

In a recent interview he said that he likes little dogs because you can hold them close, smell their fur and feel their hearts beating.

Very well put, Mr. Rourke.  I understand this feeling completely.  There is nothing quite like a little furry soul snuggling on your chest, feeling it’s warm breath against your hand as you stroke it’s fur.  You have total trust from these sweet little creatures.  He gets it, he really gets it!  Maybe this guy isn’t so bad after all…

Monday, February 16, 2009

My favorite things…

As I put together the slide show you are looking at, I realized that my favorite things are “things” I’ve had for years. 

I’m not the type of person that changes my house.  I’m not constantly rearranging or replacing things.  A lot of what I have has been around for a long time.  I don’t get tired of “things,” I keep them and enjoy them even more with each passing year.

The rag doll that Mother and I made with the cinnamon stick hair is nesting against  a needlepoint pillow Veronica that gave me.  The blue dishes you glimpse at in the rooster picture are dishes that a friend of Mother’s gave to me years ago.  I have a lot of blue willow dishes that I almost got rid of in the 90’s,  but I didn’t, and now I’m so glad that I kept them.  But these dishes, with their scalloped edges, are even prettier than the blue willow, I think. 

I typed on Daddy’s typewriter as a little girl, it’s in my living room now, and I often touch it as I pass by.  There are a lot of good memories associated with this old typewriter, it’s one of my very favorites.

When hubby and I were first married we attended a ceramics class.  Ceramics were a big thing in the 70’s, but we only took the one class.  I painted an ugly mushroom canister set, but LC, who was always really artistic, painted this little bugle boy.  He is the sweetest thing, and sweeter even still since I sat on him in the car on the way home from the ceramics studio and broke his bugle.  Hubby glued him together, and we’ve always laughed about it.  When things aren’t perfect it sometimes makes them more memorable.

And the picture that resides above my fireplace is from my teenage years.  I always kept it, usually stored in an attic at various homes we’ve lived in, but when we moved here I tried putting it above the fireplace, and that’s where it has stayed.  After all these years I found the perfect spot for it.

Jean took several pictures of my favorite things when she was here last week.  I’ll rotate this slide show in the coming days and post more of my favorites.  I have a houseful of them.  I’m sure all of you do as well…

Sunday, February 15, 2009

My most memorable Valentines Day….

Surrprisingly, it’s not the years I got  flowers, candy or dinner reservations in favorite restaurants.  It’s not breakfast in bed, or cuddling by the fire, nor is it going to a special movie or getting a sentimental card…

No, my most memorable Valentine’s Day was in the mid 80’s when hubby bought me a sweat suit.

A sweat suit!!!!!  OMG, I was so upset.  You have no idea!  As I look back, my reaction was totally wrong, he tried, but boy did he not get it right that year!   I must have been hormonal, because I remember giving him a really hard time.  Shame on me…

I did get flowers yesterday, that was a nice surprise after almost thirty-eight years. 

Ya know, I wouldn’t mind a sweat suit so much now, but I can guarantee he would never get me one, he still talks about the year of the Big Oops.  Ain’t love grand…

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